Chateau Malartic Lagraviere 2017

WINE ENTHUSIAST: "This ripe, structured wine is dense with tannins as well as acidity and black fruits. The weight and concentration promise well for the future, offering a richly juicy wine that will be ready to drink from 2023."

JAMES SUCKLING: "This has plenty of rich fruit, in the dark-cherry and cassis zone. The oak is nicely played into earthy accents, too. The tannins are smooth-grained and open out smoothly on the finish, delivering creamy, ripe berries. Drink or hold."

DECANTER: "Deep in colour, with a rich sweet character to the fruit - it's clear how carefully they have worked to maintain mid-palate roundness in a vintage where half of the fruit was lost to frost (affecting mainly the 2nd wine, with a 22hl/ha yield overall). It's enjoyable and opens up in the glass. Not as concentrated as the 2018 or 2016 vintages at Malartic, but an awful lot going for it, with precision and poise, and it has settled in to itself over ageing. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040"

THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Lush, round, sensuously textured, smokey fruits with extra notes of espresso, wet earth, thyme and tobacco leaf hit your nose with ease. Round, soft, plush and loaded with ripe, dark red berries and a kiss of oak from start to finish, give this at least 7-8 years and could merit a higher score."

WINE SPECTATOR: "Quite ripe, with succulent plum, cassis and raspberry pâte de fruit flavors mixed together, lined with licorice and anise details, showing a well-integrated apple wood note on the finish, backed by a light scoring of tar. Exhibits lots of compact energy, so this should unwind nicely in the cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2035."

THE WINE ADVOCATE: "Sixty percent of the crop made it into this grand vin this year. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, and it was aged in 45% new French oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2017 Malartic Lagraviere features baked blackberries, mulberries, pencil lead and spice cake with hints of chocolate box, menthol and cassis. The medium-bodied palate is plush, soft, juicy and expressive with a spicy finish."

WEINWISSER: "Granatrubin mit aufhellendem Rand. Floral-würziges Bouquet, Damassinepflaumen, dezenter Cassis-Hauch und heller Tabak. Stoffiger Gaumen, stützende Tannine, die Gerbstoffe zeigen noch eine dezent spröde Tendenz und kernige Noten, wirkt daher etwas überextrahiert. Wird noch zulegen, wenn er dies mit dem Barriqueausbau verdaut."

FALSTAFF: "Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung, attraktive schwarze Beerenfrucht, zart nach Orangenmarmelade, frisches Brombeerkonfit. Mittlere Komplexität, elegant, frische Kirschen, integrierte Tannine, zarter Nougat, mineralischer Abgang, bietet unkompliziertes Trinkvergnügen."